TY - JOUR
T1 - Pet exposure and risk of atopic dermatitis at the pediatric age
T2 - A meta-analysis of birth cohort studies
AU - Pelucchi, Claudio
AU - Galeone, Carlotta
AU - Bach, Jean François
AU - La Vecchia, Carlo
AU - Chatenoud, Liliane
PY - 2013/9
Y1 - 2013/9
N2 - Background: Findings on pet exposure and the risk of atopic dermatitis (AD) in children are inconsistent. Objective: With the aim to summarize the results of exposure to different pets on AD, we undertook a meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies on this issue. Methods: In August 2012, we conducted a systematic literature search in Medline and Embase. We included analytic studies considering exposure to dogs, cats, other pets, or pets overall during pregnancy, infancy, and/or childhood, with AD assessment performed during infancy or childhood. We calculated summary relative risks and 95% CIs using both fixed- and random-effects models. We computed summary estimates across selected subgroups. Results: Twenty-six publications from 21 birth cohort studies were used in the meta-analyses. The pooled relative risks of AD for exposure versus no exposure were 0.72 (95% CI, 0.61-0.85; I2 = 46%; results based on 15 studies) for exposure to dogs, 0.94 (95% CI, 0.76-1.16; I2 = 54%; results based on 13 studies) for exposure to cats, and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.67-0.85; I2 = 54%; results based on 11 studies) for exposure to pets overall. No heterogeneity emerged across the subgroups examined, except for geographic area. Conclusion: This meta-analysis reported a favorable effect of exposure to dogs and pets on the risk of AD in infants or children, whereas no association emerged with exposure to cats.
AB - Background: Findings on pet exposure and the risk of atopic dermatitis (AD) in children are inconsistent. Objective: With the aim to summarize the results of exposure to different pets on AD, we undertook a meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies on this issue. Methods: In August 2012, we conducted a systematic literature search in Medline and Embase. We included analytic studies considering exposure to dogs, cats, other pets, or pets overall during pregnancy, infancy, and/or childhood, with AD assessment performed during infancy or childhood. We calculated summary relative risks and 95% CIs using both fixed- and random-effects models. We computed summary estimates across selected subgroups. Results: Twenty-six publications from 21 birth cohort studies were used in the meta-analyses. The pooled relative risks of AD for exposure versus no exposure were 0.72 (95% CI, 0.61-0.85; I2 = 46%; results based on 15 studies) for exposure to dogs, 0.94 (95% CI, 0.76-1.16; I2 = 54%; results based on 13 studies) for exposure to cats, and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.67-0.85; I2 = 54%; results based on 11 studies) for exposure to pets overall. No heterogeneity emerged across the subgroups examined, except for geographic area. Conclusion: This meta-analysis reported a favorable effect of exposure to dogs and pets on the risk of AD in infants or children, whereas no association emerged with exposure to cats.
KW - Atopic dermatitis
KW - child
KW - epidemiology
KW - hygiene hypothesis
KW - pets
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.04.009
DO - 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.04.009
M3 - Article
C2 - 23711545
AN - SCOPUS:84883236251
VL - 132
JO - Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
JF - Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
SN - 0091-6749
IS - 3
ER -